Chapter 12: Reckless

Jellal was breathing heavily, and the tension in the room was stretched tight while they waited for him to get his words out.

"The whole of Fiore is covered in this immense force field! It's like we are encased in this giant dome. And it's active! Magic is crackling off it. Violent magic. Forbidden magic. It's like Zeref's, whatever it touches it sucks the life out of…" Jellal stopped, gasping for breath in his panic.

"And we don't know who is doing it!" said Meredy, who had entered with Ultear after Jellal.

Macchi took flight in a burst of frustration, "what do you mean you don't know?! Has no one noticed what has been going on these past few years? Not the guilds? Not the magic council?! The dark guild have been building it for ages! Why do you think they attacked the most powerful guild? Why do you think they took a celestial mage?"

"No," breathed Erza quietly. "Fuel. Of course."

"Macchi," murmured Neil in horror. He and Scarlett stared at each other. They'd had no idea. Their mum had never told them anything, she said it was safer that way. But she'd obviously told the exceed. Fuel. Those whisperings of a machine. It all made sense now. A machine to destroy Fiore and the only thing powerful enough to fuel it was celestial magic.

Macchi's wings were quivering in anguish. She and celestial mage had become fast friends during their escape from the facility, and now she was afraid Lucy was going to die for real, with the whole world apparently unwitting over why!

The white exceed started ranting about incompetent wizards and uncaring guild mates until Scarlett yanked her into her lap. "That's enough Macchi, they didn't know that mum was alive let alone about the machine. Neither did we and we were with you!"

The exceed glowered, "you're just children, it's not your responsibility to do things like this. Lucy never wanted to burden you with the knowledge."

"Well it's the same problem either way," said Natsu loudly, speaking over the many anxious voices. "We need to get to the same place, so let's stop wasting time and go and save Lucy! And then turn off this machine thingy," he added as if world destruction was a secondary consideration.

Neil gave Natsu an approving look for the first time. Jellal slumped into a chair, exhausted by these revelations and his rush to the guild. Erza stepped up, "a team of us will head to Lucy, the children and a small guard will remain here with the sick."

There was large grumbling at this, "I want to help!" shouted Asuka.

"Yeah, we're wizards too!" added Hana.

"Absolutely not," said Bisca loudly. "These people are extremely dangerous, you saw what that one hunter did. You will remain here with your father." A loud argument broke out among the Connell family and others about who would stay and who would go.

"Gajeel don't get in my way!" yelled Levy angrily. "You know, you know how important Lucy is to me."

"Levy," Gajeel pleaded "you are pregnant, it's not safe. Lucy wouldn't want you to risk it."

Levy's face crumpled in indecision. She had to go. It was Lucy. She had to.

Mira approached Levy, "Levy stay, you don't want to risk your child. It's something you would regret for the rest of your life." Levy's eyes met Mira's and an immediate understanding seemed to flash between the two women. "Trust us to bring back Lucy safe, this dark guild had better bring it."

Levy took a deep shuddering breath and nodded. Gajeel frowned at Mira, she had beaten him to it and what he was going to say sounded less cool now. "She's right squirt. I know Lucy's your best friend, so I'll go in your place and bring her back for you." Levy looked up at him and nodded again. Relief washed over him.

"Alright," he said and marched over to where the team was assembling. Erza was separating unsuitable members out of the rescue team, including an injured Elfman who was insisting that his manliness would be necessary. Eventually she had a strong team sorted out and had shouted down the complainers.

"Erm aren't we forgetting something?" questioned Lisana. "How the hell are we going to get there?"

"Can't anyone here fly?" asked Macchi impatiently. She flapped her wings in Natsu's face. "Aren't you guys supposed to be DRAGON-slayers. Where are your wings?"

Natsu gaped at her. Gajeel scoffed, "Dragon-slayers can't fly you stupid cat."

Macchi scowled at him, "well then you're useless, aren't you?"

"You obnoxious little-" Gajeel made a swipe for Macchi but Scarlett held her out of his reach.

"But," said the exceed anxiously, "it still took my nine days to get here and Lucy was in serious trouble when I left so," she began to almost vibrate with anxiety.

"There's a way," said Neil quietly, "I can take people there."

The guild froze to gape at him. "With my magic," he said, "it's possible."

Jellal walked over to Neil. "Your magic, what is it?"

"It's called Source," said Neil, speaking quieter as having everybody's eyes on him made him nervous.

"Of course," Jellal sighed. "Source. That force you hit the hunter with. I thought you directed it but I guess it just went straight for his heart." He nodded to himself before turning to explain to his uncomprehending audience. "Source is a lost magic that finds things instructed by the caster. It's a useful magic for targeting individual attackers or body parts. Used to be used in healing a lot for this reason. It can also be used to check areas for danger, for example you could check if there was somebody in a room without entering it yourself. When the hunter was here, Neil used his magic to target his heart directly."

"But how will this help us get to Lucy, we don't need to find her?" asked a confused guild member.

"Once you've found an object Source can also be used to transport yourself to it." Explained Jellal. "Except.. it's very difficult and extremely dangerous, have you ever done this before Neil?"

Neil thought about lying but admitted that he hadn't. "Mum told me only to try it if I was in a life of death situation," he burst out, "but this is a life or death situation!"

"He can do it!" said Scarlett. "I know he can!"

Erza looked at the children grimly, she didn't see much of a choice.

Ten minutes later and the guild was gathered around Neil and Scarlett who stood facing each other. Scarlett nodded at Neil, he took a deep breath and clapped his hands together. He stood eyes closed, inhaling and exhaling deeply, and waves of magic seemed to emanate from him like sonar. Gradually the waves became visible and began to grow in size and frequency. "Mum," Neil murmured under his breath. "Find mum, find mum, find mum."

Suddenly a wave lurched, "I've found her!" shouted Neil. Jellal stared at the child in awe. The control and precision was incredible. The facility may have given Neil his magic but Lucy had clearly taught him how to use it.

"YES," cried Scarlett, smacking her brother on the back and punching the air. "Let's go then!"

"Hold on just one second," said Erza sharply, "you kids aren't coming with us."

"Wha-but OF COURSE WE ARE!" shouted Scarlett. "We're the only ones of you who have ever fought the hunters! And Lucy is OUR mother!"

"Scarlett it's exactly because Lucy is your mother that you can't come with us." Said Erza calmly. "She risked her life to bring you to Fairy Tail. I cannot take you back to a place she fought to escape for six years."

Scarlett seemed to choke on her words, while Neil clenched his fists. "We have powerful magic. We can fight." He said.

Natsu stepped forward, "If you come with us the dark mages may try to use you as leverage against Lucy. You coming with us could put her in danger. I promise that I will protect Lucy."

Neil turned to face Natsu, his tiny and normally calm face alight with fury. "You will protect my mum? You didn't manage it last time! Wasn't she your partner? But you let them take her and hurt her and chase her for six years!" he yelled.

The guild fell dead silent. Natsu felt as though ice had pierced his heart. The kid was right. Lucy was his partner and he had let them take her. And he had failed to find her. He had failed to protect her. Others in the guild were grimacing at the intensity of the situation, while the two children glared furiously at Natsu. Scarlett stood slightly in front of her brother like she was about to start a fight.

Natsu's shoulders slumped in defeat, "I have no excuses." He said. "I let your mum down. I failed to protect her. But-" he stared fiercely back at the children, "this time I will die before I let anything else happen to her!"

The three of them glared at each other. Eventually Scarlett bobbed her head. "You'd better," she said and turned back to her brother. "Fine I'll stay here and help protect Neil in case anyone attacks while he's transporting people."

The guild sighed in relief. People filed into their respective teams again, giving Natsu a wide birth as he seemed to be radiating determined heat. Neil clapped his hands together again and a small portal began to open in front of him. Through the portal a battle scene was visible. Blood stained grass layered with bodies. Steely expressions appeared on the guild members' faces. The portal began to swell as Neil slowly moved his hands apart. The effort left him drenching in sweat and gasping for breath. The edge of the portal vibrated, as though it wanted to spring shut.

"Go," hissed Neil. Natsu dived straight for the portal and disappeared through it. Others followed disappearing one by one as Neil struggled to hold the portal open. As the last member vanished through it the portal disappeared with a pop and Neil collapsed on the floor.

As the remaining guild members rushed to his aid the clock above the bar clanged four and a man smiled as he reached for the lever on a large complex machine. 'Victory is mine, Mavis.' He thought. 'I won the war.' He pulled the lever down. There was a piercing scream, and elsewhere in Fiore people looked up as the sky above them began to crackle with golden lightening.

As always thank you lovely reviewers! And a special thanks to the two latest reviewers Rayne12 and artistofthemind, you guys really gave me the kick up the backside I needed :)

So guys, sorry for the extended absence! But I aim to finish this story within the next couple of weeks, as for my future on this site, who knows.

This chap was named after 'Reckless' by You Me at Six